Coking apparatus



July 2,9, 1941. v. MEKLr-:R Erm.

COKING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 24, 1940 partly invsection; V

Patentedl July 29, 1941 COKING APPARATUS Valentinev Mekier, Jackson Heights, and August Henry Schutte, Tuckahoe, N. Y., assignors to The Lummus CompanyNew'York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 24, 1940, serial No. 371,496

s claims. (ci. 2oz-gez) l y This invention'relates to improvements in apparatus suitable for coking'oi hydrocarbons.`

In our copending application, Serial No;

L 274,092, tiled May 17, 1939, now Patent No. 2,226,501, patented December 24, 1940, of which the present application is a continuation-in- 'particularly adaptable for the coking of hydro'- carboni materials derived from the cracking of petroleum. The main feature of such apparatusfis the provision of' a removable liner of 'ileiible material for a coking chamber.V 'I'he coking reaction takes place entirely within the liner so that, during the reaction, the hydrocarbons undergoing coking dov not come into contact with the Wall of the coking chamber. The resulting coke mass may be easilyl removed intact from the chamber at the end of the coking operation and corrosion and eroslonoi the coking chamber are substantially avoided. The

liner is preferably spaced from the chamber wall so that it may be readily removed from the chamber. After removal of the liner containing the resulting coke mass, the liner, being exible: may be conveniently strippedtherefrom when desired, and the coke may be obtained substantiallyin 4one piece with a minimum production of fines.

The Avprincipal object of our present invention is to provide an improvedremovable liner for a coking chamber, which liner can be easily removed from the coke mass without the destruction of either the liner or the coke mass.

Another object of our'invention is to construct the removable liner from a plurality of similar. interchangeable sections so that the liner may be more easily disengaged from the resulting coke.

Still another object of our invention is to lconstruct the improved removable hner in such a manner that it can be used and reused a great 'partjwe have described an apparatus which is Figs. 3 and 4 are details of our improved liner; and Fig. 5 is-a vertical section of a modified detail. In laccordance with our invention. the improved liner is constructed of a plurality of sections which are so fabricated that they may be interlocked to form a substantially leak-proof structure. Each section is provided with means whereby, after the coking operation has been completed and the liner containing the coke mass has been removed from the coking chamber, it can be quickly and easily disengaged from the coke mass. The sections are also constructed so as to substantially' prevent the formation of coke about the sectional'disensaging means. As'described in our copending application, the cokirlg apparatus includes an open-ended pressure chamber, generally indicated at l0, pro vided with -a cover '12. Both of these sections may conveniently have anges i4 and I6, respectively, by means of which they 'may be assembled as by bolts I8. Chamber I0 may also be provided with a manhole so that the interiorl thereof may be inspected .upon .occasion for corrosion and other purposes. Preferably a cover 2|, normally fastened to chamber l0 as .by bolts 22, is provided for manhole 20.

Ch'amber l0 is also provided with a liner. generally indicated at 24, which may conveniently have an outwardly projecting ange for support thereof within the chamber. During assembly of the apparatus, it will be appreciated number of times .withoutlsubstantial deterioration.

a coking chamber provided with our improved 50' liner, which is -shown partly broken away and Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-section our lm proved liner taken substantially along the line that suitable gasket material will be placed between the respective ilanges of chamber I0, liner 24, and cover IZ to insure a tight seal. Liner 24 preferably has substantially the same crosslsectional shape as chamber lo but a somewhat smaller cross-sectional area so that it is thereby spaced from the'wall of chamber Ill.- Provision is thus made so that the liner can be easily in. serted and removed despite any substantial bucklingor expansion thereof.

During the coking operation, hydrocarbon material to be coked is introduced under suitable temperature and pressure conditions into chamber l0 through opening. 28 in-cover I2. This material undergoes'coking .entirely within the zone dened by liner 24. The vapors from the coking reaction pass upwardly' over` the top edge 30 of` liner 24 and then downwardly throughthe annular space 32 between the hner and the chamber and out through the outlet ll. Pascoking chamber in this manner makes possible 55 the maintenance ofthe contents of the chamber. at a more even coking temperature and consequently, results in a higher conversion of the hydrocarbons being coked and the formation of a better coke.

According to our present invention, we have provided an improved construction for liner 24. In such construction a plurality of preferably similar sections 36, four of which are shown in the drawing, are suitably interlocked in the shape of the liner. Alternate sections may be provided with overlying lips 3l and underlying lips 38, respectively, as shown, or any other suitable means may be employed. As also shown, each section may have anges by means of which the sections may be held together as by bolts 4I. A metal gasket 42 or the like is preferably inserted at each sectional joint to insure against leakage. If desired, the sections may be held together by horizontal metal straps or similar devices in lieu of or in addition to the flange bolts 4|.

yThe shape of each section will be such that,

when all are assembled, the resulting liner will/ preferably have a cross-sectionsimilar to that of the chamber into which it is inserted. Although the sections shown in the drawing are arcuate in shape, any other formwhich may be found desirable may also be used. It will be noted that the sections as shown extend the whole vertical length of the liner. It is also within the scope of our invention, however, to utilize a plurality of sections which extend yonly part of the ultimate height of the liner; in such case, the sections may be joined both vertically and horizontally in the manner heretofore described.

The lower edge of each section shown in the ldrawing is preferably provided with an outwardly extending flange for support of the assembled liner within the chamber as in the apparatus described in our copendin'g application. These sections are so formed that, when assembled, the liner has a cross-sectional area somewhat smaller than that ofthe chamber.

Each section is provided with a plurality of pressure-applying bolts 44, the purpose of which will be more fully described hereinafter. Preferably these pressure'bolts are arranged in vertical columns and are suitably spaced so that pressure can be equally applied to every portion of the section. Details of the preferred construction of the pressure bolts are shown in Fig. 3. It will be noted that each of these pressure bolts is provided with a head 46 or the like at one end thereof so that it may be slipped into a corresponding keyhole or bayonet slot 4 8 in a pressure strip 50. Pressure strips 50 are used as a base against which the pressure from pressure bolts 44 may be exerted. A pressure strip 50 is provided for each of the vertical rows of pressure bolts as shown. Pressure strips 60 may be employed in either a vertical or a horizontal position; the vertical position is preferred, however, since the constructional and operational disadvantages of the horizontal position are not present.

For added strength, liner 24 may be provided with a plurality of bosses 52 so that the pressure bolts 44 can be better accommodated. Preferably the .head portion 46 of each pressure-bolt 44 is somewhat smaller in crow-sectional area than the rest of the bolt so that the entire bolt may be directly inserted through boss 52; any

use the head and keyhole construction described,

any other system which can effectively accomplish the same purpose may also be used.

When liner 24 is prepared for use, the several sections thereof are bolted or strapped together, and pressure bolts 44 are inserted in the keyhole slots of the corresponding pressure strips 50.

Pressure strips 50 are preferably so constructed that, when the assembled liner is placed in its vertical operating position, the narrow portion of the keyways or keyhole slots 48 is uppermost and the pressure bolts 44 are thus locked in position. When the liner has been assembled, the pressure strips 44 are flush with the.cokeforming surface of the various sections 36, as indicated in Fig. 2. The assembled liner is then inserted into coking chamber I0, cover i2 is bolted on, and hydrocarbon materials to be coked are introduced into chamber I0 through opening 28. Prior to the insertion of the liner, however, each of the pressure bolts 44 is preferably covered with a suitable material such as asbestos mud or clay as indicated at 54 in order to prevent coking of the threads of the lpressure bolts or other possible damage thereto by the hydrocarbon vapors as they pass through annular space'32.

It should also be noted that the construction of the pressure strips 50 is preferably such that the deposition or formation of coke about the keyhole slots 48 and keyed ends 46 of pressure bolts 44 is substantially prevented. Since the keyhole slots preferably extend only partially through the pressure strips and since the pressure strips are maintained ush with their respective sections, the possibility of any coke formation in the keyhole slots or about the inner end of the pressure bolts is practically negligible, and the dificulty in removing the sections, which would otherwise be encountered, is materially avoided. If desired, depressions or grooves may be made in the coke-forming surface of each section so that the respective pressure strips may be inserted therein either wholly or partially; in such case, further protection against coke deposition in the keyhole slots is obtained.

After the coking operation has been completed, cover 'I2 is removed, and liner 24 containing the resulting coke mass is withdrawn from chamber I0. The liner and the coke mass may then be allowed to cool, if desired, and the liner may be stripped from the coke mass when it is convenient to do so.

When the liner is to be removed from the coke, pressure bolts 44 are driven down as far as practicable. Usually the sections will adhere to the coke mass; if the sections are tapped with an air hammer or the like, however, they may be thus loosened from the coke mass; Since the sections have been put under a strain after the pressure bolts have been driven down, they may be easily disengaged from the coke mass in this manner. The pressure strips 50 ordinarily adhere to the coke mass and are not separated therefrom when the sections 36 are separated from the coke. In such event, pressure bolts 44 are disengaged from their respective keyhole slots in the pressure strips 50, and the corresponding section is slipped olf the pressure strips and is removed from the coke mass. By means of hammering, chipping, or the like, the pressure strips 50 may then be separated from the coke mass. The relative positions of the liner with respect to the coke mass are shown in Fig. 3, in which the coke mass is indicated at 56. The several sections may then be reassembled and prepared for reuse in further coking operations.

A modied manner of applying the pressure to the transverse pressure strips is shown in Fig. 5, in which the bolts |44, mounted in bosses 52 on the liner, are adapted to engage the pressure plate |50 to force lthe liner away from the coke mass 56. In this construction, there is no possibility of interference by the coke, the plates |50 being initially supported as by temporary dowels The sections 36 should be designed light' enough so that they may be pulled together to compensate for longitudinal warping and the like after use. At the same time, the sections should be sufficiently heavy and strong so that, when the pressure bolts are driven down, the resulting strain set up in the sections will not tear or otherwise rupture them. When compared with the flexible (erroneously called frangible) liner described in our copending application, the present composite liner is preferably somewhat heavier in gage, being approximately one-quarter inch thick for a forty foot shell of ten feet in diameter rather than 16 or 18 gage.

It will be apparent that we have provided anv improved liner for a coking chamber whereby the coke mass formed within the liner may be readily obtained substantially intact. It is to be particularly noted that the princi-pal' features "of vour invention reside in the provision of a relatively thin sheet metal liner composed of a plurality of interlocking sections which can be separated from [the resulting coke mass by means of appropriate adjustable pressure-applying devices or the like. The construction of the assembled liner is such that ample protection is afforded the movable parts against coke deposition and any other possible damage and the parts may be reused many times.

Although we have described a preferred form of embodiment of our invention, we are aware that modifications may be made thereto; therefore, only such limitations as appear in the claims appended hereinafter should be applied. We claim:

1. A coking chamber of thel class described,

lincluding an outer chamber, a plurality of sections adapted to form an internal chamber, means to-hold said sections in assembled position.- means rto form a coke body within said sections, and means carried by said sections for separation ofthe coke formed within said inflush with the inner surface of saidsections and forming a base for the pressure-applying'. bolts whereby, on adjustment of said bolts, said pressure strips `will dislodge the coke from the sections. A

3. A removable, sectional liner for a` coking chamber of the class described, which comprises a plurality of sections extending vsubstantially the entire length of the liner, means to hold said sections in yassemblcd posirtion, a plurality of pressure-applying bolts carried by each section, a plurality of pressure strips for each section, said pressure strips forming a base for 'the pressure-applying bolts, and means to hold said pressure strips in position during coke formation.

4, A removable, sectional liner for a coking chamber of the class described, which comprises a plurality of sections extending substantially the entire length of the liner, means to hold said sections in assembled position, a plurality of pressure-applying bolts carried by each section, a plurality of pressure strips for each section, said pressure strips forming a base for the pressure-applying bolts, said pressure strips having a series of slots engaging the respective pressureapplying bolts to hold the pressure strips in position during coke-formation.

'5. A removable, sectional `liner for a coking I chamber of the class described, which comprises a plurality of sections extending substantially the entire length of the liner, means to hold said sections in assembled position, a plurality of presure-applying bolts carried by each section, a plurality of pressure strips for each section, said pressure strips forming a base for the pressureapplying bolts, and dowel means to hold said pressure strips in position during coke formation.

6. A removable, composite liner for asubstantially circular coking chamber of the class described,A which compri-ses a plurality of similar arcuate sections extending the vertical length of the liner, an outwardly extending iiange along the lower edge of each section whereby the assembled 4liner is supported within said coking chamber and is spaced from the wall thereof.

cooperating anges along the vertical edges of each section, ange bolts passing through said anges to hold said sections in assembled posttion, a plurality of vertical rows of pressureapplying bolts having one end thereof formed in the shape' of a key and being carried by each section for separationv thereof from coke formed within said liner, a plurality of vertical pressure strips for each section, said pressure strips being flush with the inner surface of said sections and forming a base for .the pressure exerted by said vertical rows of pressure-applying bolts, and keyhole slots in said pressurev strips to receive the keyed end of said pressure-applying bolts. said. keyhole slots being so formed that the narrow portion thereof is uppermost whereby the sections are locked in position when the assembled liner is inserted in the coking chamber.

VALENTINE MEKLER. AUGUST HENRY SCHUI'I'E. 

